The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-01
R.KERs AND CANDY Makers.

Seventeen bakeries, three large
ones run by steam, combining candy
making oy wholesale as a goodly
part OF their output, labor to supply
our citizens and many interior points
with bread aud sweetmeats. A COM
bined capital OF $500, 900 is employed
in the trade; and over 200 workman
find employment. The consumption
OF -four by the bakers of the city
reaches $50 barrels per day, and our
people eat 10000 barrels Of -four per
snnum. 1t is claimed that the peo-
pie OF the South are mainly corn fed,
but the inhabitants Of Memphis,
while mainly Southern reared, have
learned to, by large majority, to
prefer wheaton bread, or cake, as
many OF our country cousins would
term il. The bread and cracker
traffic OF the city is a large aud
important, as we'll as a growing
one, aud the subject might be dwelt
upon at length, but few condensed
points can only be given in a news.
paper like this issue, so full of cold
facts and figures. Ii is proper to
say that three Of our largest estab-
lishments sell goods amounting to
SOO,OOO per aunum, and while crack
ers, cakes aud candy cover a large
portion of the out Of town or interior
traffic, yet fresh bread is shipped
daily by one concern, the Peters
Company. as far north as Mayfeld.
Ky, and other goods are sent to
various towns in Kentucky, Tennes-
see, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas,
Louisiana, Alabama aud Georgia. A
large line, embracing several car
loads, was sent a few days ago to the
towns in the latter State. The Peters
Company makes forty-two different
kinds OF crackers, beside large as
sortment Of candy, numerous brands
OF bread, including Vienna rolls,
ginger snaps and many specie Of
sweet cakes. Ii is now using sixty.
five barrels of -four daily, and sends
out 300 to 5000 loaves of bread per
diem. At times the consumption of
eggs is 100 dozen per day. The pay
roll varies from $50 TO 5000 per
week, but will average $500 per week
through the year. The establishment
employs fifty people, including from
ten TO twenty girls, and the wages OF
the latter vary from SO 10 81 per
week. The skilled workmeu, or
fancy candy-makers, get as high as
~ per day, aud in the active season
often. by working over hours. make
w and even $50 per week. Just now
there is a very sharp rivalry between
the cracker and candy makers OF two
heavy manufactures, and the cut in
prices has been in some cases all the
way from 10 20 20 per cent. below
what is regarded as fair figures for
iirst-class goods. 10 the line Of crack.
ers, tor example. there are certain
brands worth from . cents TO 8 cents
per pound which have beeu cut as
much as cent TO 2 cents per pound,
aud candy has also been ruling away
down in the scale Of prices for GER.
tain kinds. How long the contest
will continue It's hard to say, but at
present the second dealer and retailer
is enjoying the sport as we'll as
rcaping the benefit. The active sea.
son for the trade runs from Septem.
Der 70 January, during which period
the sales increase from - 10 80 per
cent. according TO the particular line
OF goods most wanted. The trade, how
ever is undergoing q change, and after
the style in Northern cities, is incrcas.
ing 80 chat tho midsummer sales are
large, and ere long il is expected
that IL will be nearly the same all the
year round, save, perhaps, the three
or four especially active months
mentioned above.
The 300 resident bakers aud candy
makers are paid in the aggregate
1000 per week, or an average OF $50
per week. The German element is
largely represented among the bak.
crs, while Northern men about
equally intcrmiXcd with natives of
the South make up the host OF candy
boilers aud twisters. They are Of
migratory DISPOSITION az a general
thing, aud during the warm period
Of summer go of northward, so that
the needed force is sometimes re.
duced 70 a point below the required
demand. From now forward, how.
ever, they offer their service so mum
erously that tho supply is expected
10 be fully equal 70 the demand. |
Bakers like the South best during
the cool months. A considerable